Finding Aid Search

Title

New York State Assembly Task Force on Toxic Substances interviews and hearing files regarding alleged Army toxic dumping

Series Number

L0133

Summary

The series consists of evidence gathered during the Task Force investigation of alleged Army dumping of radioactive materials into the Love Canal. The evidence was given at public hearings, in interviews conducted by Task Force investigators, and in interviews conducted by the Army during its own investigation. Evidence includes eyewitness accounts of Army dumping and contamination in the Love Canal and details related to procedures for production, storage, handling, and disposal of hazardous materials at government facilities.

Creator

• New York (State). Legislature. Assembly. Task Force on Toxic Substances

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.

Title

New York State Commission to Recodify the Public Service Law transcripts of proceedings and public hearings

Series Number

A3235

Summary

This series contains transcripts of the initial organization meeting and forty-three days of public hearings held by the Commission to Recodify the Public Service Law. The transcripts document the examination of ninety-five witnesses, including all members of the New York State Public Service Commission and relevant commission staff; members of the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities; members of the Public Service Commission of Indiana; representatives of municipalities and civic organizations; technical experts and advisors; representatives of the utilities; and members of the public.

Creator

• New York (State). Commission to Recodify the Public Service Law

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.

Title

Photographs of custodial institutions for the mentally deficient

Series Number

A4228

Summary

This series consists of several hundred black and white photographs illustrating conditions at custodial institutions for the mentally deficient in New York and other states. The photographs were gathered by the Commission to Investigate Provision for the Mentally Deficient to illustrate its final report. The photographs show a wide range of views including building exteriors, interior facilities and rooms, and patients working, eating, in classroom activities, and at play or rest.

Creator

• New York (State). Commission to Investigate Provision for the Mentally Deficient

Access Restrictions

Access to photographs depicting patients is restricted in accordance with Mental Hygiene Law, Section 33.13, relating to confidentiality of clinical records. Access is permitted under certain conditions upon approval by the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.

Title

Division of Human Rights discrimination case files

Series Number

10409

Summary

These case files were compiled by the New York State Division of Human Rights and its predecessor entities, the State Commission for Human Rights and the State Commission Against Discrimination, while investigating discrimination complaints. These bodies have been empowered to prevent and eliminate practices of discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, or physical disability. The files consist of correspondence, memoranda, publications, decisions, and copies of petitions, complaints, contracts, and agreements.

Creator

• New York (State). State Division of Human Rights

Access Restrictions

Restricted in part. Disclosable documents include the initial complaint and the final determination. Other documents will be disclosed as permitted by the New York State Freedom of Information Law (Public Officers Law Art. 6).

Title

Education Department Commissioner's Committee on Inquiry into Charges of Waste and Extravagance in the Construction of School Buildings in New York City correspondence and subject files

Series Number

A2044

Summary

This series provides information on the Education Department inquiry into the planning, design, and construction of schools in New York City during the 1950s. Included are correspondence, published and unpublished reports, press releases, news clippings, memorandums, meeting minutes, notes, charts, statistical tables, and blueprints of school plans and construction details compiled by the committee in its investigation.

Creator

• New York (State). State Board of Charities

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.

Title

Governor's Love Canal Inter-Agency Task Force Chairman's files

Series Number

13430

Summary

This series consists of files generated by commissioner William C. Hennessy, while serving as chairman of an emergency multi-agency task force on the Love Canal disaster. Files also contain records sent to Hennessey's office in Albany from the DOT regional office in Buffalo. That office managed department policies in Region 5 (Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, and Niagara counties). Records include copies of newspaper clippings, correspondence, memoranda, reports, toxicity maps, affidavits and exhibits, meeting minutes, contract documents and specifications, and subject files.

Creator

• New York (State). Governor's Love Canal Inter-Agency Task Force

Title

Child fatality investigative files

Series Number

B2391

Summary

These records document investigations of the deaths of children in foster care and those reported to the State Central Register.

Creator

• New York (State). Department of Social Services. Division of Services and Community Development

Access Restrictions

Restricted to protect personal privacy.

Title

Records of an investigation into the administration of the Rensselaer County Almshouse

Series Number

A1983

Summary

This series contains transcripts of testimony, letters, and depositions of officials, employees, and inmates providing information on conditions and treatment of inmates at the Rensselaer County Almshouse. The testimony covers routine operations of the institution, conduct and efficiency of the staff, and treatment and abuse of inmates. Included is information on the case of alleged abuse of almshouse hospital patients by nurse, William Wilmot.

Creator

• New York (State). State Board of Charities

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.

Title

Blank survey forms

Series Number

A4233

Summary

This series consists of blank survey forms used by the Commission to Investigate Provision for the Mentally Deficient to examine statewide needs and current programs for the care and training of mentally deficient persons. Most forms relate to surveys sent to schools and custodial institutions in the state requesting information on mentally deficient students and inmates and on care and training provided them.

Creator

• New York (State). Commission to Investigate Provision for the Mentally Deficient

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.

Title

Mental deficiency reference file

Series Number

A4227

Summary

The series contains pamphlets and article reprints from mental health journals discussing topics relating to mental deficiency including patient diagnosis, methods and costs of care and training, epilepsy, and delinquency of mental deficients. A large portion of the records relate to Eugenics, the science of improving hereditary traits particularly through the social control of mating and reproduction.

Creator

• New York (State). Commission to Investigate Provision for the Mentally Deficient

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.

Title

Surveyor General's reports on petitions to the State Legislature

Series Number

A1820

Summary

These reports concern value of land; land claims and title disputes; errors in previous surveys; requests for unappropriated state land; surveys and sales of state land; grants of land to persons in the problematic military tracts; and requests for title to unappropriated lands settled and improved. Also included are survey maps; minutes and resolutions of the Commissioners of the Land Office; reports from the surveyor general; and affidavits supporting petitions.

Creator

• New York (State). Legislature. Assembly

Access Restrictions

Access to original records is restricted due to burn damage sustained in the 1911 New York State Capitol building fire.

Title

Investigation files of the Rapp-Coudert Committee

Series Number

L0260

Summary

The Rapp-Coudert Committee was charged with investigating individuals and organizations with suspected radical ties in New York City public schools and colleges. This series consists of the Committee's investigation files. Typical contents include correspondence; interview notes and hearing transcripts; minutes; and copies of Communist, anti-war, and civil liberties publications collected by the Committee during the course of investigations. Many files contain extensive notes on individuals under investigation, and include documentation on other persons with suspected ties to Communism.

Creator

• New York (State). Legislature. Joint Legislative Committee on the State Education System

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.

Title

Commission for Investigation of Workmen's Compensation Law Administration press clippings

Series Number

B1316

Summary

The commission collected these newspaper and magazine articles and editorials from New York, out-of-state, and national publications to track the history and progress of the investigation. The articles concern the commission's investigation and cover such areas as irregularities in administration of the Workmen's Compensation Law, such as padding of medical bills; testimony at public hearings; and the commission's final report, recommendations, and legislative proposals. The name and date of the publication is given for each clipping.

Creator

• New York (State). Commission for Investigation of Workmen's Compensation Law Administration

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.

Title

Litigation files

Series Number

B1302

Summary

This series consists of investigative material, correspondence, legal documents, and hearing transcripts of the Board of Social Welfare relating to charitable institutions investigated for personal or financial malfeasance. These institutions provided for dependent, neglected, and delinquent children, as well as for the aged, indigent, disabled, and disadvantaged. Investigations occurred relating to allegations of abuse of dependents, discrimination, financial or licensing irregularities, or other problems.

Creator

• New York (State). Board of Social Welfare

Access Restrictions

Most material in this series is exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Law pursuant to multiple federal and state laws.

Title

Administrative reports and meeting minutes

Series Number

A4231

Summary

This series consists of reports and meeting minutes prepared by the Commission to Investigate Provision for the Mentally Deficient. The minutes include discussions, resolutions and recommendations; survey information (especially in Westchester County); reports on visits to custodial institutions; monthly progress reports and an abstract for the final report. The institution reports include history of the institution; building and facility conditions; inmates data; staffing; diagnosis and placement procedures; training programs; laboratories and other special facilities.

Creator

• New York (State). Commission to Investigate Provision for the Mentally Deficient

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.

Title

Survey of mentally deficient inmates in county jails

Series Number

A4225

Summary

The series contains completed survey forms from physicians at county jails in the state on policies and procedures relating to mentally deficient prisoners. The survey form contains: policies for examining mentally deficient prisoners; numbers of prisoners considered mentally deficient and insane; transfer of mentally deficient prisoners to custodial institutions; total number of inmates, number of inmates mentally deficient, number of inmates insane; methods for determining mental deficiency and insanity; and recommendations for more adequate disposition of mental deficiency cases.

Creator

• New York (State). Commission to Investigate Provision for the Mentally Deficient

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.

Title

Division of Human Rights executive subject and correspondence files

Series Number

19280

Summary

The Division of Human Rights is empowered to prevent and eliminate practices of discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, or physical disability. These records, which include correspondence, inter-agency memorandums, reports, meeting minutes, and policy material, reflect division activities. Records may be restricted.

Creator

• New York (State). State Division of Human Rights

Access Restrictions

Restricted in part. Series contains copies of documents relating to discrimination cases. Disclosable documents among these include the initial complaint and the final determination. Other documents will be disclosed as permitted by the New York State Freedom of Information Law (Public Officers Law Art. 6).

Title

Administrative protest review case files

Series Number

13056

Summary

This series contains landlord and tenant protest of decisions by local rent administrators regarding recovery of possession and maximum rent, and the orders and opinions of the Commissioner and State Rent Administrator filed with the predecessor Temporary State Housing Rent Commission. The files contain affidavits and supplementals of the tenant's protest and original signed copies and carbon copies of the order and opinion of the commissioner.

Creator

• New York (State). Temporary State Housing Rent Commission

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.

Title

State Commission on Extension of the Civil Service secretary's files

Series Number

14089

Summary

A twelve-member legislative Commission on Extension of the Civil Service was created in 1939 to study the problems of extending civil service to local governments. The Commission's investigation resulted in the "Fite Law" which provided for the administration of civil service law and rules in all of New York's civil divisions. The Secretary's files document the development of legislation on local civil service administration and the attitude of local officials towards civil service extension and information on local public employment.

Creator

• New York (State). Department of Civil Service

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.

Title

Joint Legislative Committee to Inquire Into and Study Legislative Methods, Practices, Procedures, and Expenditures research and report files

Series Number

L0149

Summary

This series which concerns the Committee's analysis and reporting of legislative procedure and expenditure in New York, consist of correspondence, memorandums, reports, and completed questionnaires. Topics include the growing volume of bills; the concentration of legislative decisions toward the end of the session; the late introduction of bills; the role of Assembly and Senate Rules Committees; the organization and operation of standing committees; and the use of joint legislative committees and temporary commissions to assist the Legislature in its deliberations.

Creator

• New York (State). Legislature. Joint Legislative Committee to Inquire Into and Study Legislative Methods, Practices, Procedures, and Expenditures

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.